(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to exothermic torch rods, and more particularly to an igniter for a torch rod that does not require any power for use in or out of water.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
As is known in the art, oxygen-based cutting-torch (or “torch rod”) systems use hollow steel tubes that house hollow or solid steel wires or rods therein. An igniter is used to ignite one end of the steel wires or rods which burn to form a cutting-torch. Current ignition methods include exposing the ends of the steel wires or rods to high current, placing the ends of the steel wires or rods in a smoldering cardboard (punk) tube, or depositing a molten metallic product on the ends of the wires or rods while exposing same to a supply of oxygen. However, the high current and smoldering punk tube ignition systems are either useless, unreliable or, at the very least, difficult to use in underwater environments. Currently available ignition systems that produce a molten metallic product use a powdered energetic compound and a chemical catalyst that are separated from one another until ignition is required. However, powdered energetic compounds are not reliable and have a limited shelf life.